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The Office of Personnel Management is finalizing changes to the federal snow policy. Director John Berry won't share details yet, but he said telework shows the resiliency of government during bad weather.

One thing that hasn't been addressed is, what happens in the case of widespread power outages and/or internet outages, which happened during the last snow storms. Will someone whose power is out be charged a day of annual leave because teleworking is now mandatory? Teleworking is a great option if it's available, but it seems unfair to penalize workers who are unable to telework because of a power outage. Normally if you have power or network problems, you have the option to go into the office instead, but in the case of snow, the office may be closed.

All federal agencies, under the Federal Telework Law of 2010 (http://fcw.com/articles/2010/12/09/telework-bill-signed-by-president-obama.aspx) have to offer telework.
So you are not being penalized. Now, the very logical issues of access, type of equipment, departmental security (or lack there of) etc, etc, etc, are completely different issues that still have a long way to go to being fully answered.

... our Dept. effectively bans teleworking but skirts the law. Oh, sure, they have a few token teleworkers among tens of thousands. But it is clear they they do not intend to allow anyone other than the token few to telework on a scheduled/weekly basis even though 80% of us could with equal or better productivity.
My and other such agencies are angling for a policy that will require telework only during snow and similar energencies. Somehow, they seem to think we can be productive teleworking during snow closings, but we can't on a routine basis. What better way to avoid paying for days off due to snow?
Until we can telework on an ongoing basis, I have no intention of requesting (and having my contracting co pay for) remote access. If the gov't closes due to snow, I'm staying home, and they will still pay.

Requiring people to telework during snow emergencies is not practical. At least in our office, one can only connect with the office network from your office PC. Mandating telework when the office is closed due to an emergency indirectly mandates employees lugging their work laptops back and forth each day.
I walk a mile back and forth from the Metro each day to my home. Lugging my PC home is not practical. Also consider the risk of theft. In addition, power may very well be out in which case I won't actually be able to work anyway.
The people at the top need to understand the day-to-day realities of the ordinary civil servant, and get their heads out of the theoretical clouds. It sounds great to have everyone working when weather prevents offices from opening, but it is not practical. It needs to remain optional.

Sadly, some government departments employ mid-level supervisors whose limited capabilities are reflected in their dogged determination to ignore common sense, Federal requirements and their staff's abilities, and do all they can to obstruct the move to telework.
My own experience in the private sector proved conclusively the telework is productive, builds morale, assists in reducing traffic, pollution and time wasting, and is the sure wave of the future. However, despite all the evidence to this effect, GPO refuses to embrace the option, and insists on a massive waste of taxpayer's money by demanding employees slog through weather and DC traffic to do jobs BETTER done at the PC in their home offices.
One can only hope that very senior supervisors in the GPO become fully aware of this stupidity, and insist that middle management begin to demonstrate common sense and responsibility ASAP.